Secret ewer
Caldas da Rainha (?), early 16th century (?)
Unglazed ceramic
Inv. 618
The name given to this ewer relates to a curious device that makes the water contained in it flow through the handle, then into inner part of the mouth, finally coming out of the spout. For this to happen, it requires a precise inclination opposite to that of the spout, to prevent the water being expelled through the mouth or the holes surrounding it.
Traditionally classified as having been produced in Caldas da Rainha in the early 16th century, this piece occupies a place of prominence not only in the ceramics collection of this Museum but also, because of its extreme rarity, in the context of Portuguese museums as a whole. It is decorated with heads in relief, which on the body are inscribed within circular frames, also in relief, or inserted between them. Also contributing to the ornamentation are various carved geometric and phytomorphic motifs, enhanced by the shine of powdered mica, resembling silverwork. Although clearly of archaic production, this piece presents decorative motifs that are close to the ornamental grammar of the Renaissance, which supports the proposed dating.
